Firsts
by hettylange
Summary: A series of Neric one shots each about the first time they did something together (like hangout/grab a beer/serious conversations etc).
1. Hangout

**A/N I decided to start a series of Neric one shots, each telling the story of their first time doing something together. Not sure how many I will do, if I get good feedback I shall continue :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA or any of the characters**

**(Going back in time a little to talk about their first hang out)**

Nell had been working with Eric and the rest of the NCIS team for quite some time now. Sure they had talked in the work place but they didn't really know much about each other. It was a slow day in OPS, as they had no current case to work on, so they both sat at their computers running tests.

"So how do you like working here Nell" Eric was suddenly curious because it wasn't very often they had new members added to the team.

"I like it, the work is good and I'm glad to help protect our country but…" Nell's voice became quiet.

Eric turned away from his computer screen now looking at Nell who had her eyes down on her keyboard. Nell slowly looked up to meet his eyes. Eric flashed a sweet smile at Nell telling her to continue.

"It's just that with this job it's hard to keep friends, you know? I can't tell them why I work late hours, and sometimes all through the night. When they ask to go out on Friday nights and I'm here working I have to make some excuse as to why I can't go. It's just tough sometimes" She sighed deeply and was instantly filled with regret, why was she telling this to Eric, who she only met a few weeks ago. Nell became shy and started typing on her keys as to distract herself from what she just confessed.

"Hey, look here" Eric directed to Nell, she turned her head slowly. "How 'bout you and I hang out? After work on Friday, you can come over we can watch a movie have a few beers, how's that sound?" Eric wasn't sure why he was offering to hang out with her, as he was so sure he hated her, and the way she finished his sentences, but then again he's been wrong before.

"Thanks" She said softly, as Eric smiled. They continued their work in silence for the rest of the day.

* * *

Friday night quickly rolled around, and although neither one would admit it, they were excited. It had been a while since Nell or Eric had made any close friends, so this was the perfect opportunity. They had just closed a case involving bomb threats in downtown Los Angeles, and were currently in the bullpen debriefing.

"So the bomb squad has officially defused the final bomb and all terrorists are currently locked away for what is going to be a very long time" Eric explained to the rest of the team

"Sounds good who's up for a beer?" Deeks questioned

"Me!" Kensi blurted out too fast, the team laughed.

"Yeah of course you are, let's go" Deeks said as he pulled kensi by the elbow and out of the building, Sam laughing and Callen shaking his head as they left.

"Well I'm heading out, it's game night with the kids" Sam explained

"Can I join?" Callen already decided he was going regardless of Sam's answer. Sam laughed as they headed out the door.

Eric turned over to Nell who was sitting patiently on top of Kensi's desk. "You ready to go?" He asked her.

"Yeah, I just have to file a few pieces of paperwork, mind if I meet you at your house, I won't be long?" She asked already knowing that he wouldn't mind.

"Yeah, sure, that's no problem see you in a few" Eric was glad for her delay as it gave him a chance to do any last minute cleaning that was needed

* * *

Eric arrived at his house unlocking his door and throwing his messenger bag off to the side. After a minute he realized that he should probably put his bag away for once, so he grabbed it and headed to his bedroom where he threw it on the floor. He placed a few beers in the freezer so that they would be extra cold for when Nell arrived, and washed his dishes that he had left from breakfast. Just after he dried and put away his dishes he heard a knock at the door. _It must be Nell _he thought to himself. He dried his hands on a towel and brushed off his clothes just in case he had made a mess of himself while cleaning, and made his way over to the door.

"Hey Nell" Eric smiled as he opened the door wide for her to come in. Nell stepped inside and took a quick glance around.

"It's a nice place you got here" She said as Eric helped her out of her jacket and placed it over the back of the couch.

"Thanks" He smiled, "Would you like a drink?"

"Yeah I'll take a beer if you got some" this had Eric laughing quietly _of course I have beer_ he thought to himself.

He pulled two beers out of the freezer, ignoring the chills the cold beverages sent down his spine, and popped them open with the bottle opener he left aside earlier. As he walked backed to Nell he noticed she already made herself comfortable on his couch, this made him chuckle lightly to himself.

"Here you are" He said handing her the beer and taking a seat next to her. They were sitting closer than they ever have up in OPS, but not close enough where they were touching. Eric scooped up the TV remote from the coffee table in front of him and clicked the TV on.

"So do you want to watch a movie?" He asked, and then took a swig of his beer.

"Yeah sure!" She smiled "What do you got?" She asked unsure of the types of movies he would have in his collection of DVD's.

"Well let's have a look shall we" he said putting his beer on the table and walking over to the cabinet underneath his television, she did the same. Eric took a seat on the floor sitting cross legged and opened up the doors revealing hundreds of movies. Nell also took a seat, but sat on her knees with her legs closed tight, as she was wearing a sundress and didn't want to reveal too much. He started listing off movies, when he spotted one he thought they would both like.

"What about Back to the Future?" he suggested

"Perfect!" Nell smiled at him. At the same time they both reached for the movie brushing their hands together. Eric pulled his hand away quickly and gestured for her to grab the movie, so she did. They stood up and Nell made her way back to the couch, as Eric put the movie in the Blu-ray player, Eric always had the latest toys in technology. He sat back down on the couch as pressed play on the remote. They sat in silence for most of the movie with the exception of a few comments and laughs here and there. As the movie ended and the credits rolled, Eric grabbed their now empty beer bottles from the table to go put them in the bin.

"Would you like another Beer?" He asked as he grabbed one for himself

"I better not, I have to drive home" She smiled

"Alright how about a coke?" he smiled back at her

"Sure thanks! Umm Eric do you have a washroom I could use" Nell felt a little awkward asking, but there was no way she could wait until she got home.

"Yes of course" Eric laughed, "It's just down the hallway over there" pointing in the general direction of the hallway.

Nell walked over and opened up the first door she saw in the hall, but it wasn't the bathroom it was his bed room. She quickly closed the door hoping Eric wouldn't notice her mistake. Eric had just put her drink down on the table when he saw her close his door; his cheeks turned a bright shade of red.

"Oh um sorry it's at the end of the hall my fault for not specifying sorry" He was now embarrassed of the fact that he had just thrown his messenger bag on the floor, contents spilling out. Nell just smiled down at the floor and made her way to the end of the hall. Eric exhaled deeply as he sat down running his hands through his hair. He wasn't sure why he was so embarrassed by her seeing his room, he just was. But all was soon forgotten when Nell and Eric were back on the couch each drinking their beverages and snaking on the chips Eric had pulled out while he was alone.

"So what made you want to do this job" Nell ask Eric genuinely curious.

"Well, it's kind of a long story" Eric smiled lightly, "I had kind of a troubled youth, and some family issues growing up, so I spent most of my time alone. I used most of this time on the computer learning how to hack and understanding coding. Eventually I got really good at, especially the hacking part" Eric said looking down at his hands in his lap, Nell motioned for him to continue so he did.

"One day I was hacking around in some files that, well I shouldn't have been looking through and I got caught. To be honest I was shocked I hadn't got caught earlier I was pretty sloppy and left a trail that led straight to me. Anyway I was sitting in a café alone, when a small lady, who I didn't know at the time, came and sat next to me. She looked me in the eyes and said 'You shouldn't been looking at those files Mr. Beale' I don't think I have ever been so scared in my life. She cut me a deal, she told me if I came to work for her and NCIS she wouldn't report me, I was fresh out of college at that point and didn't want to risk it so I said yes." Eric was oddly relieved to tell her this, as he had never told anyone before.

"Let me guess, the small lady was Hetty?" Nell assumed, as she laughed at the situation.

"Yup, scared me the first time I saw her and to this day she still terrifies me" They both laughed, and that was when Eric noticed Nell's smile for the first time. Her smile was bright and lit up the whole room, when she smiled he wanted to smile back. Without realizing it he had taken a moment to soak in all of her beauty. The way her hair looked soft to the touch, the way her hazel eyes twinkled, and how she wore the cutest little dresses every day.

"Um Eric, you're kind of staring at me" Nell said shyly looking down at her hands.

"Oh um sorry, it's just that I never noticed how beautiful you are." Eric admitted and regretting it instantly. Nell's cheeks turned a light pink colour, as they sat in awkwardness for a few moments. Eric cleared his throat breaking the silence.

"What about you, what made you want to work for NCIS?"

"Well I always loved computers but I also really wanted to help people. I thought of doing a few different jobs, and was volunteering at different businesses in college, but then I found NCIS. It just stuck with me something about the fast pace work environment, my close proximity to computers and helping people all rolled into one, it was something I knew I had to do" She admitted openly

"That's really great Nell" His voice laced with honesty. They were interrupted by a small beep from Nell's watch, telling her it was midnight and a new day has started. She looked down at her watch.

"Oh geez is that the time?" She was completely unaware of how much time had passed. "I should probably head home; I don't want to be on the road too late." She smiled standing up grabbing her jacket off the back of the couch. They both walked over to the door.

"I had a really fun time tonight Eric."

"Me too! We should hang out again sometime."

"Agreed!" They both smiled. Eric pulled her in for a friendly side hug, and then opened the door for her.

"Thanks again Eric" Nell smiled as she headed out the door and down the walkway to her car. Eric closed the door behind her, but watched from the window to make sure she got in her car safely. Once he saw she was on her way he headed back to the living room to clean up. Too lazy to put anything away he moved their bottles, and chip bowl from the coffee table to the counter. He decided to go straight to bed to end the night on a good note. He stripped down to his boxers and slipped under his blankets, turning off his lamp and closed his eyes, thinking about how maybe he and Nell could be best friends after all.

Nell arrived at her house shortly after midnight. She unlocked her door and made her way inside. She threw her purse and jacket on the armchair in the living room area of her house, and made her way to the washroom. She quickly cleaned up and put on her pyjamas, she decided to go straight to be as it had been a long, but enjoyable, day. As she closed her eyes and went to sleep she thought to herself that maybe Eric wasn't such a bad guy, and maybe they really could have a strong friendship after all.

**A/N Let me know what you think, should I continue? Also special thanks to densiandneric and Zoe (nelliskinkyinbed) on tumblr for helping me decide what movie they would watch :)**


	2. Real Talk

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA**

Eric and Nell had become friends over the next few months; their hangouts consisting mostly of light conversations. They had learned the basics about each other, like birthdays and college experiences but they never had those trust building talks, where you really learn about someone. They started hanging out more frequently as time went by, until their hangouts were second nature.

"Hey are we hanging out tonight?" Nell asked Eric as they typed away on their computers.

"Of course! My place or yours?" He smiled

"I just stocked up on beer, and need someone to share it with, so my place?"

"Perfect!"

They weren't working on any cases for the time being, so they finished the day typing up old reports and adding them to the NCIS file database. They carried small talk throughout the rest of the day until Hetty let them have the night off early.

"Since we are not currently handling any cases, you are free to leave early for the night. Go home get some rest, because we don't know what tomorrow will bring." Hetty said to the two computer techs still typing away.

"Sweet!" Eric blurted enthusiastically.

"Don't sound too excited Mr. Beale; remember you love your job." Hetty rebutted carrying a smug expression. Eric sank back quietly in his chair as Nell laughed lightly to herself. Hetty exited the OPS center as they started to power down their electronics.

"So we get the night off early, how about an extra-long hang out tonight?" Nell questioned Eric already knowing he would be more than happy to spend the whole night with her.

"Yeah sounds good. I'll meet you at your house in 20 minutes, if that's alright?"

"Yup perfect"

The two agents collected their belongings and headed downstairs. They said goodbye to the rest of the team, sitting in the bullpen, and made their way out of the mission to their separate cars.

"See you soon" Eric smiled. Nell smiled back, as he opened his door throwing his messenger bag on the passenger seat, before sitting down behind the wheel. He turned his keys in the ignition and was on his way. Eric took the long route to Nell's house so she would have a few minutes to herself before he arrived. The drive seemed to fly by and before he knew it he was parked in Nell's driveway, exiting his car, and walking up to her front door.

* * *

Nell climbed into her car and turned the radio to a low murmur as she drove home. She was in no rush because she knew that Eric would take a longer route so she would be there when he arrived. She wasn't sure why exactly he did this, but she was happy because it gave her a few minutes to freshen up. In what seemed like record time, Nell was home unlocking her door and stepping inside. Instead of throwing her bag on the armchair in her TV area, she decided to actually put it away for once. She walked over to her bedroom flicking on the light switches as she walked by them. Nell put her bag in her closet and headed to the bathroom to brush out her now tangled hair. She made herself presentable, and walked through her house cleaning up any mess she had left from the previous days. She decided that her house was clean enough so she plopped down on the couch, and clicked on the TV, placing the remote beside her. Within seemingly no time at all she heard a knock on the door.

"You can come on in Eric, its open" Nell said to the figure behind the door. Eric opened up her door and stepped inside her home.

"It's a beautiful day outside the weather is perfect"

"You're right, it's wonderful. Want to sit on the porch and enjoy some fresh air?"

"Yeah sure. Beer?" Nell smiled indicating she indeed would like one. Eric grew more comfortable in her house, so he walked over to the fridge grabbing both of them a beer. He popped of the lids tossing them in the bin as he made his way over to Nell, handing her the cold beverage. They stepped outside as the fresh air rushed through the open door. They took a seat on the small wooden bench on Nell's front porch, their legs touching each other gently, due to the short length of the bench. They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company.

Nell spotted a family going on a walk, using the nice weather to their advantage. Two small children were running ahead of their parents who were talking their time, the father holding a leash attached to a golden retriever. Nell glanced over at Eric who was also watching the happy family walk by.

"Do you ever thinking of having some?" Nell said breaking the silence.

"What sorry?" Eric was focused on the strangers walking by.

"I mean do you ever think of having kids? Starting a family?" She asked more clearly

"Well, I always wanted to. Growing up I didn't have a great relationship with my parents, I was thrown out of the house when I was 16. So I wanted to have kids to prove myself wrong, that not all parents are as bad as mine but…" Eric's voice trailed off as he realized he was revealing a lot about himself

"But what?"

"Well you know how it is, with this line of work. I would be more than lucky if I ever met a girl let along start a family" he sighed heavily

"I know what you mean"

"You do?"

"Yeah I may not have had as rough of an up bringing but I did always want to have a family. But, like you said, the chances of me ever finding a guy are slim to none. Especially when we have to lie about what we do" Nell sat, looking down at her hands in her lap, feeling embarrassed as this wasn't something she often told people. Eric grabbed her hand from her lap holding it in his own. This wasn't something he had done before, but he knew in that moment he wanted to comfort her, they were friends after all. Nell looked up to meet Eric's beautiful eyes and smiled.

"So what exactly happened when you were a kid?" Nell had only ever heard him talk about it on the surface he never got into detail, so she plucked up the courage to ask.

Eric sighed heavily running his free hand through his hair.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" She smiled sweetly, a smile that Eric just could not resist.

"No it's alright. Growing up it was me and my two sisters." Eric started

"_Was_?"

"Yeah, Alexa and Isabelle. One night when I was 7 we were coming home from Alexa's dance recital, she was 9 at the time, and Isabelle was 3. We were driving through an intersection when a drunken truck driver failed to stop for the red light. The trunk hit us nearly rolling the car over." Eric paused taking a moment to collect his thoughts, this wasn't a story he told very often.

"Hey you can take your time telling the story it's alright" Nell said as she gave Eric's hand a gently squeeze. After a few seconds he continued

"The truck killed Isabelle on impact, since she was so young, and the truck hit her head on. It left me and Alexa in the hospital for a few days, nothing more than minor concussions, as we were farthest from the point of impact. It tore my family apart. My mom turned to alcohol, and my dad to drugs, to numb their pain. Their need for numbness eventual drove them to near insanity. Alexa left when she was 17, leaving me to get the full force of their screaming. One day they had enough of me so they kicked me out." Eric sat in silence for a few minutes, and Nell knew not to pry. If he wanted to continue he would do so at his own pace.

"So basically, I want a family where I do everything my parents didn't. I don't blame them for what happened, it was a tragedy. I just need to show that even when things get rough I can still raise a happy family where I won't let them down. It sounds silly now that I say it out loud" Eric laughed lightly

"It's not silly, I actually think that's quite fantastic" Nell smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"What about you, why do you want to start a family?" Eric questioned, taking a sip of his beer. He told his story now it was time to tell hers.

"Well I don't have any tragic stories, but I must say I love kids. I remember when I was around 16 I would play outside with the younger neighbourhood kids. I would take them on walks, to the park, anywhere really. One day it just occurred to mean that I love seeing children smile, and hearing their genuine laughs. I always thought that one day I would have a few of my own, and then I would be sure that I can see small beautiful smiles, and hear soft giggles every day." Although no deaths were involved with Nell's admissions, her chest still felt heavy as it was something she had never told anyone before.

"That's really great Nell. One day you will meet a wonderful man who will father your beautiful children" Eric said truthfully.

"And one day you will meet a beautiful woman who will mother your children with the upmost care" Nell smiled, looking down at their hands still intertwined.

They sat in silence for the rest the night sipping their now warm beers until they were dry. The sun began to lower and the temperature began to drop. The night sky slowly filled with stars as the two friends sat on the porch. Eventually the darkness overcame the natural light, and the streetlights switched on.

"I should probably go, it's getting late" Eric said as he stood up from the bench, with the now empty beer bottle in his hand. Nell also stood up grabbing the bottle from Eric and placing both hers and his on the small table next to where they had been sitting.

"I had a really nice time tonight. It's not often I trust someone with such personal things" Nell's voice laced with honest

"Yes, it was nice. You know you are the first person I've ever told that story to"

"Well, if you were going to tell someone I'm glad it was me" A soft smile graced Nell's lips.

"I wouldn't have it any other way" Eric pulled Nell in for a tight hug, something he had never done before, her head resting on his chest. "Thanks" He whispered quietly.

"Thanks for what?" she released from his grip looking up at him

"For letting me trust you" The partners smiled.

They said their goodbyes, as Eric was walking down the drive way to his car. Nell made sure he was safely on his way before grabbing the 2 beer bottles and going inside. She threw the bottles in the bin and felt a sudden rush of relief. She was glad that she was finally able to trust someone, more specifically Eric, enough to talk about personal things. She was sure Eric felt the same way, and she was right. Their friendship had grown stronger than it was earlier that same day, and it was wonderful. Eric and Nell had both had the best sleep they had in a long time, because just knowing you could trust someone with personal matters was a delightful feeling.

**A/N should I keep writing? Leave a review let me know how you feel and what you think may happen in the future :) I really enjoy writing them and I've got loads of ideas for future chapters.**


	3. Dog Walk

**I do not own the show or its characters**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter it's got tiny bits of densi if you look hard enough for it, also Deeks makes a few appearances.**

After that night on the porch, their personal talks grew easier, and more frequent. Neither of them had trouble sharing personal matters with the other, and it was a trust neither of them had felt before. Their hangouts were now assumed, and they would just stop by each other's homes, for a beer or to chat. This Saturday they made plans to do something neither of them expected to do.

* * *

The entire team was sitting in the bullpen, as they had just debriefed a case that was closed earlier that same day. They had spent a bit of time after the case to chat with each other, as there was no point in rushing home. The small conversations passing through the bullpen started to die down, with the exception of one surfer drawl that could still be heard.

"Please Kens, just come with me it's only one Saturday I'm sure you can find the time" Deeks had been begging Kensi for most of the week to go to an all-day music festival, that was happening down at the beach.

"Nope I can't" She replied smugly, hoping he wouldn't ask her for a reason why.

"But, why?" _Shit._ She thought to herself

"Umm…Monty! Who will watch Monty you can't leave him the entire day alone." She smiled proud of the excuse she came up with. Deeks, however, wasn't giving up.

"Eric can watch him" He directed his words to Eric, with a questioning look, asking him if that was alright.

"Yeah sure, I'll take him for the day no problem"

"I'll help" Nell smiled towards Eric

"See, now I've got _two_ people to take care of him. I'll drop him off Saturday morning." He smiled, directing the last comment to Eric. "You have no excuse Kensi Blye, you are coming with me, whether you like it or not" Deeks flashing her, his goofy smile.

"Fine" She sighed, as they all stood up to head out of the mission. Deeks and Kensi left first, bickering the whole way out. Sam and Callen followed silently. Nell and Eric put their tablets away, and powered down anything that wouldn't be used over the weekend. They made plans for Nell to meet at Eric's house Saturday morning, where Deeks would drop Monty off early in the day. They confirmed their plans, said their goodbyes, and headed out of the mission.

* * *

Eric woke up Saturday morning to the sound of his alarm. He swatted his hand over to his bed side table, nearly missing, to hit the alarm off. He rolled out of bed and headed straight to the shower, hoping it would give him the energy he needed. After a few minutes, he realized the shower wasn't going to wake him up, so he turned off the water, stepping out, and threw on a pair of board shorts and a t-shirt. He quickly towel dried his hair, running his hands through it to give him his messy style look. He headed towards the kitchen starting up a pot of coffee, and snaking on an apple. He finished his fruit as he heard a knock on the door, and a bark from outside. He tossed the now eaten apple into the bin and walked over to open the door, to reveal Deeks and his shaggy companion.

"Good morning" Eric said opening the door wider for them to step inside "Would you like some coffee"

"No thanks I'm good" Deeks flashed a smile as he sat down on his couch leaning over to pet Monty. "So basically all you have to do is feed him twice a day, food is in there" Deeks pointed to the to-go bag by his feet, "And if you are feeling energetic you can talk him for a walk, he _loves_ walks don't you Monty?" He said to the dog now scratching him vigorously behind the ears.

Eric laughed at the site, "Seems pretty straight forward I think I can handle it"

"Thanks again man, getting Kensi to agree to anything is a pain in the ass"

"Well I'm pretty sure she secretly loves hanging out with you all the time" Eric smiled in Deeks' direction

"You think so man? I wasn't sure" Deeks pondered his thoughts

"Oh yeah, if you ask me I would say she's got it pretty bad for you" Deeks turned his head sharply towards Eric flashing a mischievous smile, "Don't tell her I said that"

"Well I should probably get going; I've got to be at kensi's in 20 minutes. I'll be back tonight to pick him up; you and Nell have fun today." Deeks winked at Eric with the mention of Nell's name. Blush crept up on Eric's face, but he chose to ignore it hoping Deeks didn't noticed.

"Alright see you later"

"Bye" Eric closed the door after Deeks made his way to his car. Monty stood by the door whimpering as his owner drove off.

"It's me, you and Nell today buddy" Eric said, messing the large dog's fur, as he pet him.

He made his way back to the kitchen where he had a pot of hot coffee waiting for him. He grabbed two mugs, knowing Nell would want some coffee when she arrived, and filled them to the top. Eric sat at his table for just a few short minutes, when he heard another knock on the door. Monty jumped up to his feet; he had been lying down on the carpet, and gave a small bark.

"Hey Nell its open you can just come on in" Eric yelled towards the door. They had been comfortable enough with each other where walking into each other's homes was not an uncommon thing. She stepped inside and was greeted by the large dog that stood waiting to be petted.

"Oh hello, aren't you just the most adorable little thing I have ever seen in my life" Nell greeted the dog

"Oh thank you" Eric laughed which earned him a soft punch to the shoulder. "Coffee?" He asked her as he handed her the mug.

"Thanks" She took a seat, at the table, sitting across from him. "So how are you" She said after sipping the steamy beverage.

"I'm great! How are you?"

"Amazing" She smiled lightly and her eyes lit up, it was the type of smile that made Eric melt no matter how small it was.

"You know I'm actually excited to watch Monty today, I really want to take him for a walk" Eric said enthusiastically

"You sound like you've never taken a dog on a walk before"

"Well um I actually haven't" He admitted honestly

"What?! How did I not know this?" Nell was genuinely surprised to hear that he had never walked a dog before. "Have you ever had a dog as a pet?"

"Nope, you know the story of my childhood though, so I think you can understand."

"We are going to make this the best dog sitting day ever then aren't we Monty" She turned to the dog that moved from the door to under the table where he licked Nell's toes. Nell started to giggle, and of course Eric couldn't resist the urge to laugh once she started to. Her laughter was contagious.

* * *

They spent most of the morning, and well into the afternoon playing with Monty in the backyard. Eric and Nell thoroughly enjoyed running around and playing 'fetch', and of course they enjoyed each other's company. The afternoon sun had cooled, and a small breeze blew, the summer air indescribably calming. The streets were empty so Nell decided it was the perfect time to take Monty for a walk.

"Hey you want to take him for a walk?" she asked, sitting on the back porch steps catching her breath from running around.

"Yes!" Eric was so excited Nell was sure she saw him literally jump for joy, which of course made her laugh.

"Excited are we?" Nell asked, as the blush travelled up Eric's neck onto his face.

"Hey! Yes I am that a problem?" He walked over and sat down next to her.

"Nope not at all" She said as she flicked him gently on the shoulder.

They both stood up, Eric walking to get Monty's leash from the bag Deeks left, and Nell over to Monty. Eric came back with the dark blue leash and clipped it to the dog's matching collar. Within a few minutes they were walking out from the backyard, Eric holding the leash, appearing at the front of the house. They walked along the sidewalk, with their arms gently brushing each other, as the sidewalk was very narrow.

"So what do you think do you like walking dogs?" Nell looked up at Eric, looking into his beautiful brown eyes.

"We only just started the walk Nell, anything can happen" He smiled back down at her. Although he would never admit it he loved that she was shorter than him. It made him feel special when he hugged Nell, because he felt like he could protect her, and he cared so deeply for her. Just as Eric had finished speaking another dog was spotted a few blocks ahead. Monty tried to make a run for it pulling Eric forward tripping himself.

"Whoa Monty!" Eric tried his best to regain his balance so he didn't fall. Nell was in hysterics, standing a few steps behind him now, as Monty pulled him ahead of her.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea" Nell said poking fun at Eric trying to control the canine.

"No I got him" Monty tugged him forward again barking at the dog ahead of them.

"Maybe I should help you"

"Nope" He was defiant to keep hold of the dog

"Alright then, we can make this work" Nell stepped forward so she was next to Eric again. She slid her arm around Eric's, the one that was holding the leash, so they were linked by the elbows. Eventually, the other dog had exited the street, and Monty became calm again. Nell, however, kept her arm slinked around Eric's. She wasn't going to admit it but she was quite fond of the closeness, and little did she know that Eric enjoyed the closeness as well. They walked around the streets of Eric's neighbourhood until the sky grew dark, and Monty became restless. They headed back to his place, where, when they arrived, he let Monty free of his leash and he fell asleep in seemingly record time. Eric noticed Nell's tired eyes, body filled with exhaustion, from playing with the hyper dog all day.

"Hey you tired?"

"Yeah, I should probably get going, don't want to be driving too late"

"You can crash at my place if you want" Eric noticed Nell's surprised reaction. Although they hung out often, there had never been any 'sleep overs' so to speak.

"No it's alright; I think Monty takes up enough space. Thanks though!" With that they said their goodbyes and agreed to walk Monty again sometime, with Deeks permission of course.

* * *

Eric sank down sitting on his couch scooping up the TV remote and switching the TV on. He too was exhausted from the long day, so he sat watching an old film until Deeks arrived to pick up his mutt. Within an hour or so Eric heard a knock on the door. He stood up and let Deeks inside, he sat back down on the couch giving Deeks a minute to be reacquainted with his dog.

"So how was he?" he asked not looking up from Monty

"He was great! Nell and I took him for a walk that really tired him out"

"You and Nell" Deeks looked up at Eric with a mischievous grin

"What?" Eric asked slightly confused

"I can see you've got eyes for her man, just let it happen"

"Let what happen" Eric asked trying to play it cool, Deeks stared at him blank faced seeing right through Eric. "I don't like her in that way okay. I mean she my best friend and I wouldn't want to ruin it" This was the first time Eric had really started thinking about him and Nell being more than 'just friends'

"Whatever you say" Deeks chuckled to himself

"Hey! Like you're one to talk, what about Kensi" Eric made an excellent point

"That's different and you know it" Deeks remarked

"Just let it happen" Eric smiled using Deeks' earlier words against him

"Whatever" Deeks laughed, the teasing was all in good fun. "Anyway I better get going I'm sure this little fella is just dying to get home"

"Alright, hope you had a great time to night with Kensi" Eric flashed a crooked smile in Deeks direction.

"I had a fantastic time" He smiled heading out the door. Just as he was about to get in his car he turned back around and yelled, "Hey remember what I said about Nell"

"Whatever" He shouted back, his cheeks flush. Deeks smiled back at him and waved goodbye. He made sure his dog was secure in the back seat and he was on his way. Eric closed the door and locked up the house. He made his way over to his bedroom pulling off his dirty clothes, boxers remaining, and throwing them in the corner where a pile of clothes were collecting. He switched off his light and lay down in his bed pulling the covers up to his chin. As he was falling asleep he couldn't help but this of what Deeks had said earlier '_I can see you've got eyes for her man, just let it happen'_. Did he really like Nell as just a friend, or could they be something more than that. He shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind, as sleep was a priority. That night he dreamt of the day he and Nell had spent with Monty, and how he felt when their arms were intertwined. He never said it out loud but his favourite dreams were the dreams about Nell.

**A/N Ok so I know there wasn't as much Nell and Eric conversation this chapter, but I wanted to use Deeks to get the ball rolling here. Anyway reviews are a great motivation, so if you want me to write faster just send a review. It takes a second and really means a lot! :) **


	4. Comfort

**A/N I do not own the show or the characters**

The team had worked on a case, involving high-class terrorists and three missing missiles, for the past 2 weeks. They were doing their best to get everything under control, but they could only do so much. Callen and Sam had been on the run chasing down subjects for the last two days, and Kensi and Deeks had been held back at the mission attempting to heal some minor injuries. Normally this type of case wouldn't affect Nell and Eric, as this was their job they dealt with this sort of thing daily, but this case was different. Usually the team would have a case wrapped up and settled within a few days. It wasn't often that the cases took weeks, but when they did, it took its toll on everyone.

"Hey are you alright" Eric asked Nell who was sitting quietly by her computer.

"Yeah I'm fine" Nell whispered

"Are you sure" Eric moved so he was sitting next to her.

"Yeah, you know how it is with this job, it's just tough sometimes" She replied honestly

"You're right I understand" Eric flashed her a smile and pulled her in close for a gentle hug, trying to hide his own pain from her.

They finished working in silence until it was time to go home. When the night ended they said their goodbye's and headed their separate ways.

* * *

Nell spent most of her drive home silently, the radio turned down low. She tried her best to stay relaxed, and to ease her mind, by focusing on the road ahead of her. As she approached her home she could feel the small tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She wasn't usually like this, emotional and exhausted, but the stress of the case had finally caught up to her. All she could hope for was that she made it home safely before the tears began to slip. She had just pulled into her driveway as she felt a single cold tear escape, brushing it off her cheek with the back of her hand she made her way inside. She had barely made it through the door when her tears started to roll, the stress hitting her hard and all at once. She made her way over to the washroom to try to get herself cleaned up, when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She reached for her phone, her clothes damp from tears, and looked at the caller ID screen. The name _Eric Beale_ lit up the screen in blue letters.

"Hello" She said trying to steady her breath, to hide the fact she had cried just moments earlier.

"Hey, how are you?" Eric's voice on the other end was shaky and lacked confidence.

"I'm fine" She said hesitantly, not wanting to worry him. "How are you?"

"Can I ask you something?" Eric exhaled deeply

"Sure anything" She said wiping away any last remnants of tears from her skin.

"Would it be alright if we umm hung out tonight? I'm just… work has been really stress full, and I don't really have anyone else to talk to"

A small smile grew on Nell's face, as she was happy that she wasn't alone in feeling upset, and that he trusted her. "Of course. Would you like to come over to my place? You can crash on the couch if you want to"

"Thanks, be there in a few" Eric said feeling a wave of relief

Nell combed through her hair, and changed into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt before Eric arrived. Normally she liked to wear cute outfits to impress her dorky partner, but she was exhausted and didn't have the energy to care. She grabbed a water bottle from her fridge and sat down on her couch to wait for Eric. Within a few minutes she heard a knock at the door.

"It's open" Was all Nell could manage

Eric, wearing a similar outfit to Nell's, came over and sat snugly next to Nell on the couch.

"Rough case wasn't it" Eric said as he grabbed her hand and held it in his

"Yeah, it was."

"It's just hard you know, not really having anyone to talk to."

"I know what you mean; you are the only other person that understands exactly what I go through at work every day. The rest of the team doesn't see what we see on our computer screens." Nell sighed

Eric pulled her in closer, hugging her tight, as her head now lay resting on his chest. Both were more than happy to be near the other, mostly happy they weren't alone.

"I'm glad I have you to talk to Nell" Eric confessed, "I don't know how I handled this before when I was working on my own, without you." Nell looked up at him, smiling.

"My couch is always free if you need it, you know that. But if I'm being honest I'm really happy you're here too, I'm not sure how I would have handled this stress on my own" Nell grew shy and looked down at their hands that were still held together.

"I'm glad we have each other as partners"

The two sat quietly, with Nell's head resting on Eric's chest, Eric drawing lazy circle on the back of her hand. They sat this way for some time, before Eric broke the silence.

"Hey Nell?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Eric said in a soft whisper.

A smile was all Nell could respond, as Eric kissed her lightly on the top of her head. Eric and Nell sat quietly for the rest of the night until Nell started to doze off. Eric was afraid to move, as he didn't want to wake her, and if he was honest he loved that she was falling asleep in his arms. Eric shifted his body gently so he was lying down on the couch, Nell moving with him. They both fell asleep on the couch, Eric holding Nell in his arms by her waist, ignoring the lack of personal space. Their sleep was peaceful, and relaxing that night, washing away all stress from work.

The Next morning Eric woke up alone on the couch, hearing the sounds of a running shower in the background. He clicked his phone on to check the time, _6:45 am._ It took everything in him not to fall back asleep, as he had work in an hour. He stood up walking over to Nell's kitchen where he started a pot of coffee, when he heard the water stop.

Nell got out of the shower and quickly dried her hair with her towel, throwing on her outfit she had chosen for the day, a light blue sundress with a matching white cardigan. She hung the towel over the towel rod, and made her way out of the bathroom. The first thing she noticed was that Eric was no longer on the couch. Worried that he left without saying good-bye she called out for him.

"Eric?"

"I'm in the kitchen" Eric yelled from behind the wall that separated them. Nell made her way over to the kitchen and sat down at her kitchen table across from Eric. "I made some coffee would you like some?"

"Yes! Thanks you are the best" Nell said smiling across the table to meet her partners eyes, as he handed her a mug filled with steamy coffee.

"I know" Eric smiled tease her.

"Shut up" She laughed, punching him lightly on the shoulder "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Best night sleep I've had in months" Eric said flashing a wink in her direction; Nell could feel the blush creeping up on her cheeks.

"Good" she smiled sweetly. "I was thinking about walking to the bakery just down the street for some breakfast would you like to join me?"

"I would love to"

Eric showered quickly, and they gathered their things for the day, so they would be ready to leave for work when they got back to Nell's place. It was a beautiful morning; the sun was warm, yet not harsh to the eyes. The pair walked, arms linked together, smiles on both of their faces, enjoying each other's company. They arrived at the bakery and chose some fresh chocolate chip muffins and biscuits to eat, and a breakfast smoothie to share. Eric, being a gentleman, paid for both of their orders.

"Thanks" Nell said as they left the bakery.

"Hey, it's the least I could do since you let me crash on the couch last night." A smile grew on his lips as he spoke.

"I should be the one thanking you" Nell said looking down at her feet as the walk.

"Thanking me? You were there for me remember?"

"Well, I was glad you called, you were there for me too, when I needed the comfort"

"I think we should thank each other, we were there for each other after all" Eric smiled as he kissed Nell on the top of her head, Nell glad she was looking down to shield Eric from seeing the large smile that crept up on her face.

They arrived back at Nell's place and they said a quick 'see you soon', and got into their separate cars as they made their way to work. Work had minimal stress that day, the comfort still lingering from the previous night. The partners trusted each other with everything they had, and it only made their friend ship that much stronger. In the following weeks, the cases were as normal as they could get, but every once in a while one partner would call the other, and always they would be there. Sometimes they would sit and talk, or bask in the silence. Sometimes they would pass out on the couch, or cuddle on the bed. They were two best friends, with a complicated job, who were always there for each other no matter the circumstances.

**A/N Okay I know it's short, not my best work, and I said I would post this a few days ago but I apologize profusely. I've already started the next chapter and I expect it to be much better than this one. I love all of you who are reading this, even if there aren't many of you. Thank you! :) **

**Leave a review? Takes a second means a lot! Constructive criticism welcomed! **


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